The invention relates to a control valve for a lubricant nozzle, in particular for an oil spray nozzle, for cooling a piston of an internal combustion engine. The invention also relates to a lubricant nozzle and to a lubricant supply device for a reciprocating-piston engine of a motor vehicle.
It is known from the prior art for oil spray nozzles to be used for piston cooling purposes. Here, the oil is sprayed via the nozzle onto those locations on the piston which are to be cooled. Here, by means of a valve, in a manner dependent on the type of construction and configuration, the oil supplied via the oil spray nozzle can be controlled as a function of various parameters. In the case of a valve of said type, it is for example the case that a displacement of a spring-loaded regulating piston takes place, whereby an opening is opened up, through which the oil can then pass via the nozzle to the piston.
DE 102 61 180 A1 discloses a generic valve for lubricant ducts of motor vehicles, having a control part which is assigned to a control opening and which, by means of at least one first actuation part, is preloaded into at least one end position, which closes the control opening, within a valve housing and which, by means of at least one second actuation part, can be moved into an open position. Here, the pressure force exerted on the control part by the lubricant via the control opening runs perpendicular to the direction of movement of the control part. Owing to the fact that the pressure force exerted on the control part by the lubricant via the control opening acts perpendicular to the movement of the control part, the first and second actuation parts can be designed to be correspondingly small.
DE 10 2010 023 876 A1 discloses a control valve having at least two actuation parts by means of which a control part can be moved between at least two positions, wherein at least one of the actuation parts can be electrically actuated in order to move the control part between the positions.
EP 2 213 851 A2 discloses an oil supply device for the lubrication of a cylinder and/or for the cooling of a piston, wherein the oil supply device is designed such that lubrication of the cylinder takes place continuously, whereas the cooling of the piston is switchable, and/or such that the lubrication of the cylinder takes place already in the presence of a relatively low oil pressure at which cooling of the piston does not yet take place.
A disadvantage of the valves for oil spray nozzles known from the prior art is that they do not make it possible in all operating situations to realize a supply of the lubricant to the piston, and cooling of the piston by means of the lubricant, in accordance with demand.